It has been reported that this past winter was the warmest in the eastern half of the nation since 1932. Most of us were not alive to remember that time, and this is clearly the warmest winter, and the earliest spring, that I can ever recall in my lifetime. Last week we had temperatures in the 70's all week, and the call is for another week of 70 to 80 degree temps in the mid Atlantic area. Traditionally, we don't see these kinds of temperatures until mid to late April. Water temps are in the low 50's, and we are seeing all kinds of insect hatches with big bluegills feeding off the surface. Kids and dogs are already playing in the water. Here my neighbors son, Cole, plays with his retriever, Dodge, in the shallows of their pond...and this was on March 12 th!
My good friend Patrick and I had the chance to fish another local pond this past Friday. We knew there were big catfish in the lake, so we set up several rods baited with chicken liver in hopes of getting a few, The lake owners wanted to have some of them removed, as the 30 inch plus cats are eating smaller bass and they think it would be wise to get them out. While we waited for the bite alarms to go off, we tossed small 1/64 and 1/32 ounce jigs tipped with various plastics for some of the ponds bruiser bluegills. We were not disappointed...
Custom 'firetiger' jighead w/nondescript plastic trailer coaxed many bull gills including this big male.
This nice looking hen couldn't resist the firetiger.
This seriously big male went for the jig. Check out those sideburns! Also, notice the lack of barring on these larger male bluegills...neat coloration, no less.
Here's another plump male. Most of our fish ran very close to the 10 inch mark, with weights from 10 to 14 ounces. They were powerhouse fighters on the micro rods and 2 pound test mono.
Patrick is all smiles with this bonafide trophy bluegill. Notice again the blended coloration of these fish...real beauts!
Another beautiful male with a huge ear tab. Fishing was almost non-stop when it was cloudy and breezy, as fish were taking baits within the top two feet of the water column. By actual count, we totaled 48 gills, most from 9 1/2 to 10 inches and 8 bass.The bass were punks...like this show-off that actually thought he could take on a #5 Mepps spinner...
As you can see, this young upstart must think he's tough...guess that'll teach him!
So...it's a good thing we brought the micro gear and mopped up on magnum bluegills. So what happened with the catfish efforts? As luck would have it, Patrick hooked a large fish on the micro gear that we almost immediately labled one of the ponds out-sized whiskerfish. Patrick played the fish like a champ on thread-like 2 pound test, and 20 minutes later. I slid the net under an impressive channel cat...
Yes, all those prime catfish baits out there, and chumming efforts and all. And the only cattie of the day thought he was a bluegill, going for the small stuff. An impressive fish for such tiny gear...26 inches and an estimated 8 pounds. Healthy lookin', too! We put her back, as we did with all our fish this day.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Patrick has caught a lot of catfish over the past several years, with a few nice blues to 15 pounds or so. But he was proud of this hard earned 'beauty'.
I can't help but reflect on the words of Agur, in Proverbs 30, where he points out that ' Two things I ask of you Oh Lord; ...Keep falsehood and lies far from me and give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." Well, if I were to go by todays' catch, I would say we were more than blessed with 'daily bread'. Agur was a simple man, by his own admission...'the most ignorant of men'..., yet he 'got it', that is, the secret of contentment. A simple man, a simple prayer, with a heart of thanksgiving. Satisfied.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL OR BIG TO BE WORTHY. JUST SATISFYING!
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